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How Indian cold chains rise up to monsoon challenge
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Saturday, 22 August, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Sameer Varma
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Ever wondered how your 15-minute online orders reach you fresh and on time through some of the most challenging monsoon months? The weather doesn’t stop us from ordering or expecting our deliveries within minutes, be it the harshest of summers or the wettest monsoons. Yet, each time, your doorbell does ring at the promised minute with your order. That’s because an invisible, highly efficient cold chain network works 24/7, pre-empting weather-related challenges and eliminating hurdles that could delay your order or compromise its quality.
For temperature-sensitive logistics companies, the Indian monsoon poses one of the biggest operational tests. The consequences of the smallest break in the supply chain can lead to the biggest loss of trust and cargo, so whether transporting medicines, dairy products, frozen foods or fresh produce, cold chains simply cannot afford a pause for conditions to improve. Instead, they rise to the challenge and, armed with technology, respond faster and plan better for these months.
Waterlogging is one of the biggest challenges that temperature-sensitive cold chains face. Flooded highways, submerged roads and inaccessible warehouses often force transport teams carrying temperature-sensitive cargo to abandon planned routes, extending unplanned refrigeration time thus making delivery commitments harder to meet.
How do cold chains ensure operations don’t come to a halt come hell or high weather? They prepare months ahead. Logistics teams work round the clock combining weather forecasts, GPS-enabled fleet tracking and telematics to monitor road conditions and reroute vehicles away from flooded stretches. They anticipate and map alternate routes in advance and position inventory closer to key consumption centres months ahead to reduce dependence on long-distance transportation during severe weather.
Power outages during the monsoon can quickly compromise pharmaceuticals, dairy products and frozen foods by disrupting the uninterrupted cooling they require. Even the slightest fluctuation in temperature can affect temperature-sensitive products, which typically need to be maintained across a range of approximately 2°C to -18°C, depending on the product. For instance, curd and butter can spoil and support microbial growth when exposed to unsuitable temperatures, while insulin and vaccines can lose their efficacy if their required temperature range is not maintained. Fresh meat can also develop harmful bacterial growth when inadequately chilled, while frozen foods can deteriorate if they thaw and refreeze. For cold chain operators, maintaining temperature integrity is therefore just as critical as ensuring road connectivity. Modern cold storage facilities address this challenge through backup generators, solar-powered hybrid batteries and thermal energy storage systems that keep operations running 24/7. Connected sensors immediately alert operators to any temperature fluctuations, allowing corrective action before product quality is affected, while digital warehouse systems provide real-time visibility into inventory.
Ironically, the biggest challenge for cold chains is the last mile of connectivity in the supply chain. Big, refrigerated trucks cannot manoeuvre through flooded residential streets, market areas and smaller town roads, making last-mile deliveries particularly difficult and sometimes impossible. This infrastructure challenge becomes even more significant in Tier II and Tier III cities where consumption of organised retail, healthcare, food services and quick commerce is booming.
Cold chains are decentralising their infrastructure and building facilities closer to where demand, enabling hyper local deliveries. Bulky trucks are being replaced with light EVs fitted with battery-powered, zero-emission refrigeration or portable, smart coolers to enable delivery agents to cover the last mile on foot or on bike, while maintaining temperatures.
Technology has increasingly become an enabler of the flexibility, speed and precision that India’s cold chain industry now demands, particularly during the monsoon season. IoT-enabled sensors monitor product temperatures throughout storage and transit, GPS and telematics offer real-time visibility into vehicle movement, Transport Management Systems help identify alternate routes, and predictive analytics enables operators to position inventory strategically before seasonal disruptions occur.
As consumption continues to boom across Tier II and Tier III cities, service consistency and the ability to evolve with changing consumer demands will become defining factors for a successful cold chain company. Success will depend on how quickly and effectively companies can respond to disruptions and continue servicing demand, even during abnormal weather conditions. Ultimately, the true measure of a cold chain’s reliability is its ability to keep products moving through the year, ensuring that consumers can continue to receive their orders fresh, safe and on time, be it during the harshest summers or the wettest monsoons.
(The author is executive director at ColdStar Logistics)
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